Sunday, March 12 2006 12:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Union Tourism Ministry is all set to open representative offices in China, South Korea and Thailand as part of its promotional activities in the Asia region.

The Ministry, with an enhanced budget of Rs 830 crore for 2005-06, is focussing on various promotional and marketing activities overseas to attract foreign tourists, officials sources told sources here today(Mar 12,2006).

While the Ministry has already invited bids for its China office, the process for South Korea and Thailand has also been initiated.

"In China, we have already invited bids for recruiting local persons for our representative office," the sources said adding a Ministry delegation was visiting the country for the purpose.

The decision to open the representative offices aims to augment tourist inflow to the country from these potential markets in the region.